VCB speech time

even after all my years in front of a class room I still don't' really like getting up to give a speech.   Unfortunately my partner Kathy had a family obligation and couldn't come along to a recent church luncheon where we were the entertainment.  The ladies were nice, the food was fabulous and they seemed really interested in our products.  We do these type of presentations for marketing and getting our name out into the public.  I should them samples of each of our products as well as a few new ones.  I also had a couple try out product like the new body polish I've been working on to give honest criticism. It was a nice way to spend a few hours showing off our line and getting to know some very lovely ladies, they seemed to love the free samples.

french toast cups

I like breakfast foods you can make ahead of time.  I found this on Pinterest and thought I'd give it a try when we had company here last week.  Here's what you need:
1 loaf french bread
11/2C milk
1/3C sugar
4eggs
1tsp cinnamon
2tsp vanilla
cut the brad into 1'cubes
in a large bowl mix together the remaining ingredients then add bread cubes.  drop into a well buttered cup cake pan.
Mix together the following:
1/2C each  flour, brown sugar and butter with 1tsp cinnamon.  Crumble over the top of bread mixture.  Refrigerate several hours or over night.  Bake 350 for 25min.  Let them sit for about 5 minutes to firm up then remove from pan.  Great with butter and maple syrup.  I'm thinking chopped pecan would be good on top next time.

cute chair redo

I bought this chair at a rummage sale for $3.00.  The wood was scratched, the cushions outdated and it really smelled.  I threw out the cushions, put the chair in the shower for a good scrubbing with soap and bleach because of all the mildew covering it, thus the smell.  Afterwards I gave it 3 coats of ivory spray paint and a new cushion seat.  The hardest part was getting the ruffle off the frame, the staples were so rusty they kept breaking.  Now it looks fresh and new and is very comfortable.

stinky before

bicentennial fabric cushions

ready for paint, I did remove the strapping before painting 

in the living room.  I threw a quilt on the back for a little softness but will probably make a back cushion for it.  Soon it will be off the the consignment store.  I think it looks pretty good for a $3 investment.  I had everything else left from other projects.

tub tea

I'm always looking for new ideas and products for VCB.  Last year we had good success with a milk bath.  The bottle were glass and expensive so I wanted to come up with an alternative.  I started with the same base of Epsom salts, corn starch, baking soda, dry milk and oatmeal.  I added dry lavender and lavender oils to the mix for the  aroma therapy benefits.  I fashioned the bags from coffee filters with a couple drops of glue to hold them together.  I added 3T to each bag and  sealed them with a spot of hot glue.  I haven't gotten any reports on how they work yet but I'll let you know.

Two weeks later the reports on the tub tea are in.  The general consensus is the ingredients, scent and relaxation properties are great, the packaging needs some work, as they fell apart and left a lavender and oatmeal mess in the tub.  I'll have to look a heat sealed tea bags or maybe a burrito wrap of the coffee filters.  Back to the drawing board.

garden fun

I love garden ornaments that are unusual and not mass produced.  I picked these cuties up at a recent craft show.  The top dragon fly is an old wood bobbin, washers and wire.  The bottom is an old Christmas light bulb, wire and washers.  Both are on metal stakes and poked into flower pots.  The rustier they get the cooler they look and both were under $10.

company time

My parents are older and don't come to visit very often.  This week they arrived along with my sister and brother in law for a long weekend.  We took care of some business, ate, visited and solved all the worlds problems, ate, went to Decatur for a mini reunion with some of my aunts and uncles and ate some more.  There were plenty of hugs, fun and laughter.  If you still have your parents, aunts and uncles cherish them.  These are the people that make you who you are.  You just don't know how long they will still be around.

soap time

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my good friend Jeane, I don't get to see you much these days and I miss that.  Expect a kidnapping soon.

I know it seems like the holiday season is a long way off but our shows will be here before you know it.  I always make soap early so it has time to dry and harden.  That makes the soap last much longer.  I'm trying this year to make the soap a little more upscale with better colors and design.  I don't want to offer just a plain old bar of soap.  I want it to be beautiful and unlike what you can buy any place else.  So far I've made a layered pink grapefruit, a honey, milk and oatmeal that smells amazing and leaves you skin ultra soft and a mixed peach and white jasmine cube soap with a sprinkle of sea salt.

Jasmine is a known aphrodisiac and is thought to  be one of the most romantic scents

pink grapefruit is a wonderful energizer

honey, milk and oatmeal are all known for their soothing skin softening properties  I made this in a Pringles can but could have poured it into a flat baking pan and cut the rounds with a cookie cutter 

Hairspray

We had the privilege of attending The Little Theater on the Square, in Sullivan, Il to see the musical Hairspray.  Set in the sixties and with the theme of segregation it was full of fun.  Great music, lots of comedy and lines that were so relevant to things going on today.  This theater has been presenting Broadway caliber plays since the 50's and is still going strong.  Many of the actors have worked on Broadway or large city theater companies and the professionalism really shows.  Buses arrive from all over the state to this tiny community for high quality entertainment.  We had a great time with wonderful friends and a yummy meal for dinner.  I don't think there's a better way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon.

almost instant centerpiece

I bought this fish bowl for .50 last week and decided it would make a great vase for my table.  I picked 3 small sunflowers with the stems really short and just popped them into the water.  In less time than it took me to say "I wonder how long it will take the cats to get into this." There was Dusty bobbing for sunflowers, trying to pull them out.  They take them out, I put them in, hours of endless fun.  The two fuzzy looking flowers are my favorite Teddy Bear variety.  They stay short, less than 24" and the flowers are perfect for arrangements.  I'm not sure what the other one is but its plant is only about 30" tall.

teeny tiny redo

Some times you can make a room look brand new with just some simple changes.  This tiny, 3'X5' half bath needed new paint and some sprucing up.  I pulled everything out, purged and cleaned.  For $50 for labor and some left over paint the walls look much better. This room is so tiny it is harder to paint than the kitchen was. Two new hooks, $store trash can and a tp holder brightened up the room.  A can of spray paint  made a couple of old dated wood pieces look much better.  For less than $75 and some serious purging it looks like a new room.

I think this is the worlds smallest bathroom sink and may have been made for a camper

purge, clean, organize, repeat I will put tags with what's in them on the boxes 

new paint makes these 90's pieces look new again

helpers

First a big HAPPY 40th  BIRTHDAY to our son Ron.  You have become such a great man, husband and father and we are so proud of you

Our yard is large and filled with flower beds.  With AH working so many hours and the weird weather we've been having, I can't keep up with all the work.  I hired these two youngsters to help me out.  Actually I hired the older boy and since he watches his younger brother while his parents work he came as part of the package. Their grandma is a good friend of mine and they go to our church. So far  they have helped plant flowers, mulch, put in the new hosta bed, weeded and last week put in a new path from the street into the yard.  They are hard working, energetic, strong, polite and fun to be around. I really appreciate how much they have accomplished this summer.  AH appreciates it even more because he doesn't have to do the work.

hard workers

almost finished

Country holiday

There is really something special about the way small towns celebrate the holidays.  Big cities can pump thousands of dollars from tourism and special funds into making a holiday big but small towns must depend on donations, volunteers and donations for just about anything out side the city budget.  My town is no different.  After 30+ years without any festivities, an eager young volunteer fire department has put together a great fourth of July celebration.  In the morning there was a car show full of fancy cars and a parade in the next town over.  Early in the afternoon we had our own parade right down Main street.  Where else can kids deck out there bikes or senior citizen be the highlight of the parade riding in an open buggy.  Of course there were plenty of fire and EMS trucks, sirens blaring, from neighboring towns. Later that day the Lions club starting selling burgers and hot dogs out by the pool and golf course.  The streets around the golf course quickly filled with hungry folks ready for food a live band and finally the fireworks.
I love living in a small town.  The simple, safe and very good life style far out weigh the few negatives.  Last week AH who drives to work at 5:00am was followed all they way there.  When he arrived the truck pulled in behind him, the driver got out and told him his tail and brake lights weren't working, a very ticket able offense.  Yep it was someone he knew who just wanted to help.  In a big city if you were being followed for miles the police would have been called and the other driver charged with stalking.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA we are all blessed to live in such a great country!

foot stools and tables

I've picked up some small foot stools and tables recently and instead of painting the wood I just cleaned them up and gave them new fabric covers.  I used painters tarps and stencils for the top piece and for the table I just taped off lines on the same fabric and stenciled the paint between the tape.  They really are cute and should sell quickly.

kitchen addition

Before I start a big Happy Birthday to my friend and loyal reader, Nina, it's time for a birthday trip girl!
A friend gave me this great red cabinet.  I knew it was a special and unique piece and I had to keep it for myself.  So far the weather has not cooperated with spraying it out side but as soon as it does this baby will have a new coat of white paint and will be sitting in my kitchen between my two windows.

The weather finally cooperated enough to get this piece painted it took 4 coats of primer and paint to cover the red.  AH is going to make a drop down desk top soon but for now it looks great sitting in my newly painted  kitchen.  I wanted to show off the color but it just wouldn't show up well in any of the pictures I shot.  It's hard to describe, in some light it looks, aqua, sometimes it looks blue, other times it seems green and on a dreary day it looks grey.  It is a very pale green/blue that seems to blend with anything.  Here's the after.

I think this side of the kitchen is done

TADA!  of course I don't have it full yet, maybe tomorrow.  It will hold more china and act as my desk.